Placement: Consent Agenda
Action Requested: Motion / Vote
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Approve the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Community Development Block Grant Corona Virus (CDBG-CV) Grant Agreement for the Port St. Lucie Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program.
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Submitted By: Elijah Wooten, Economic Development Administrator, City Manager’s Office.
Strategic Plan Link: The City's Goal of a diverse local economy and employment opportunities.
Summary Brief (Agreements/Contracts only)
1. Prepared by: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO).
2. Parties: City of Port St. Lucie City Manager’s Office and DEO.
3. Purpose: DEO awarded the City of Port St. Lucie $423,707 to provide small business grants.
4. New/Renewal/Modified: New.
5. Duration: CDBG-CV grant funds must be expended by September 30, 2023.
6. Benefits to Port St. Lucie: The CDBG-CV grant funding will provide up to $10,000 for eligible small businesses in low-to-moderate income census tracts that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
7. Cost to Port St. Lucie (Annual and Potential): The administrative cost to manage the Port St. Lucie Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program is $33,896. The administrative cost will be reimbursed from the CDBG-CV grant award, so there will be no cost to the City.
Presentation Information: N/A.
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council approve the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity CDBG-CV grant agreement as recommended for approval by staff.
Alternate Recommendations:
1. Move that the Council amend the recommendation and approve the CDBG-CV grant agreement.
2. Move that the Council not approve the CDBG-CV grant agreement and provide staff direction.
Background: In November 2021, the City of Port St. Lucie submitted the CDBG-CV grant application to the Florida Department of Economic Development Opportunity requesting $423,707 to provide grants to small businesses located in low-to-moderate income census tracts that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2022, DEO awarded Port St. Lucie $423,707 in CDBG-CV funding to administer the Port St. Lucie Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program.
Issues/Analysis: The City of Port St. Lucie Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program will utilize CDBG-CV funding to provide grants to eligible small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency. The program will focus on small businesses that experienced a business disruption due to the pandemic, whether they were forced to close by government order, curtailed operations, closed voluntarily to promote social distance measures, or were affected by decreased customer demand. The businesses must be located in low-to-moderate income census tracts or the business owners household income must be certified as low-to-moderate. Eligible businesses can receive up to $10,000 in reimbursement for the following eligible expenses:
• Mortgage, rent, utility, and insurance premium costs,
• Reopening costs,
• Cost for safety measures,
• Payroll during business closure.
Financial Information: The CDBG-CV grant will consist of the program expenditures and costs:
• Port St. Lucie Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant available funding - $389,811,
• Marketing and promotion expenses - $3,896,
• Florida Small Business Development Center grant review - $10,000,
• CDBG-CV grant administrative fee - $20,000.
Special Consideration: The CDBG-CV grant agreement expires on September 30, 2023.
Location of Project: The program will be available citywide to eligible Port St. Lucie small businesses.
Attachments:
1. CDBG-CV grant agreement,
2. Port St. Lucie CDBG-CV application,
3. CDBG-CV DEO Funding Award Letter.
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
Internal Reference Number: 9557
Legal Sufficiency Review:
Reviewed by Camille Wallace, Deputy City Attorney. Approved as to Legal form and sufficiency by James D. Stokes, City Attorney.